Compartimented ice chest



1968 s. H. DUNGAN 3,395,550

COMPARTMENTED ICE CHEST Filed Jan. 26, 1967 Sfraugh fer H. Dungan l N VE N TO K United States Patent 3,395,550 COMPARTMENTED ICE CHEST Straughter H. Dungan, P.0. Box 135,

Choctaw, Ala. 36905 Filed Jan. 26, 1967, Ser. No. 611,883 2 Claims. (Cl. 62-400) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A portable compartmental container for outdoor use while fishing, at the beach or picnic ground. Suitable for transportation in trunk of users car. Has two tightly closable compartments; a main compartment for ice, fish or the like, and a smaller auxiliary compartment for drinking water. This latter compartment is provided with a dispensing spigot.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to a lightweight insulated portable refrigerating chest whose walls and covers are insulated. The interior is divided by a partition into a main compartment for ice or other coolant media, and a smaller compartment for canned, bottled goods or if preferred, drinking water, said smaller compartment having a suitable dispensing spigot.

Portable ice chests for use in automobiles and vehicles and for camping and other outdoor picnicking purposes are old and well known and are interiorly provided with one or more separated compartments. The insulated lunch box in the patent to Agee 3,213,641 shows one example. The portable ice box in the patent to Laramy 2,663,157 is another example.

The problem posed in this field of invention is to provide an ice chest which is practical, economical and such that it will appeal to manufacturers, retailers and users. In carrying out the present invention a partition is provided in the receiver or container portion of the chest and defines main and auxiliary compartments. However, and to the ends desired the partition permits the conduction of the coolants effect indirectly from the main to the auxiliary compartment whereby to cool the liquid or other contents in the latter.

An object of the invention is to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon prior portable refrigerators, and ice chests and, in so doing, to provide a main lid which is common to both compartments or containers and which is sealed when fastened in a closed position. In addition, novelty is predicated on an inner lid or cover spanning and hinged atop the auxiliary compartment and which is likewise sealed when closed for instance by a gripping knob which is carried by the inner lid and which is forced down to tightly close the inner lid when the outer or main lid or cover is closed and fastened in place.

Summary In adition to the above and the upper edge of the partition is formed with a lateral flange which is coplanar with a ledge formed at the upper interior portion of the adjacent end wall and these cooperating component ledges serve to satisfactorily seat a thin but satisfactory plastic lid or cover which is held down, as aforestated, by pressure imposed thereon when the main cover or lid is fastened in its down-closed position.

Brief description of the drawing These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to 3,395,550 Patented Aug. 6, 1968 the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing the improved compartmental ice chest with both covers open.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view with parts appearing in section and elevation and with the covers or lids closed and fastened.

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Brief description of the preferred embodiment The main or body unit is characterized by a portable lightweight but sturdy box-like unit which is such in size and shape that it can be readily picked up, handled and transported in the trunk of ones automobile if so desired. This hollow box-like unit provides the desired chest or refrigerator (FIG. 2) and has a bottom wall 6, left and right end walls 8 and 10 and front and back walls 12 and 14. Each wall is of laminated construction and embodies inner and outer plastic laminations 16 and 18 with appropriate insulation material 20 interposed therebetween. There is a plastic thin but cold transmitting partition 17, toward the right hand end as shown in FIG. 2 and this partition defines the aforementioned main compartment 19 which is adapted to contain ice or any equivalent coolant 21. The smaller space provides an auxiliary or companion compartment which is denoted at 22. The main compartment not only serves to contain ice or the like but serves as a receiver and carrier for fish, canned or bottled goods or properly packaged meat or other commodities (not shown). While the smaller auxiliary compartment 22 can also be employed for carrying bottled soft drinks it is customarily but not necessarily used to carry a potable liquid for example, drinking water as suggested in FIGS. 1 and 2. It will be noted that both of these compartments are closed or covered by a main lid or cover 24 likewise constructed of insulation material. This cover is provided with rubber or equivalent gasket means 26 to effect a tight closure when the cover is in the .down or closed position shown in both FIGS. 2 and 3. Hinge means 28 is provided for securing one longitudinal edge of the cover and the other edge portion is secured effectively by fastener means 30 which may embody any appropriate latch construction.

It will be noted that the auxiliary compartment is novel in that the upper edge portion of the partition 17 is provided with a lateral flange 32 which is in a plane with an opposed built-in ledge 34 and these coacting ledges serve to accommodate the gasket means 36 on the underneath side of the lid 38. This lid or cover is suitably hinged in place as at 40. As shown in FIG. 3 the free end portion of the lid is provided with a finger-grip 42 having a knob 44 which is proportioned so that when the main cover 24 is down and fastened it exerts pressure on the knob and thus presses the inner lid 38 down, whereby to elfectually seat itself and thus separate the compartments one from the other and to prevent splashing of liquid from one compartment to the other as might otherwise occur. In addition it will be noted that the central bottom portion of the laminated end wall 10 is provided with an offset in-built insulated portion 46 which defines a pocket-like cavity 48 for the dispensing spigot or faucet 50. The spigot's nipple 52 is suitably mounted and held in place by an assembling and retaining nut 54. The spout is denoted at 56 and the push button for opening the valve is denoted at 58. It will be observed in this connection that the working parts of the sqigot are confined within the limits of the pocket 48 to prevent damage to the spigot or cause the spigot to become an undesirable projection or obstruction.

It will be understood that the walls or component portions thereof may be and preferably are constructed of suitable commercial plastics such as will be chosen for decorative, colorful and serviceable purposes by manufacturers. The partition 17 not only allows the space to be transformed into main and auxiliary compartments 19 and 22 but permits the cooling medium (ice or the like) in the main compartment to transfer cold to the auxiliary compartment. The use of the common or main lid 24 for covering both compartments and providing a means for exerting pressure on the inner lid 38 which seals .and closes the auxiliary compartment is a novel advance, it is believed, in the art. Then, too the idea of housing or protecting the spigot within the confines of a recess or cavity 48 is a feasible development in portable lightweight ice chests. The chest has been satisfactorily used to provide a container and carrier for cracked ice, ice cubes, or Dry Ice and can be used for cooling fish, canned or bottled goods, packaged meats and so on. At the same time the chilling or cooling effect is had in the separate liquid or water container or auxiliary compartment without contamination, the latter having a convenient and well protected dispensing spigot at the bottom for practical use. It follows that the invention well serves the purposes for which it is intended.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. For use in preserving and transporting food and potable liquid, for example, in the trunk of ones automobile, a portable ice chest characterized by a hollow box-like container open at its top and embodying bottom, end, front and rear inter-connected walls, said rear wall having an upper edge in a common plane with the cooperating upper edges of said end and front walls and provided with a hingedly mounted cover, said cover and all of said walls being insulated, a noninsulated divider located on the interior of the hollow portion of said container and marginally integrally joined with cooperating interior surfaces of said bottom and front and rear walls and transforming the hollow portion of said container into a main compartment for refrigerating and preserving game, fish and foods and a complemental isolated auxiliary compartment for potable liquids, said partition permitting the transfer of cold from the main compartment to said auxiliary compartment by way of said partition, said partition being provided at an upper end with a lateral flange overhanging said auxiliary compartment and disposed in a plane below the plane of the underneath side of said cover and constituting a first ledge, an adjacent interior upper surface of the end wall adjacent said parition having a shoulder in a plane common with the plane of said change and defining a second and cooperating ledge, a lid separate from said cover and spanning and normally closing said auxiliary compartment, said lid being hingedly mounted at one end of said auxiliary compartment and being edged with pressure responsive gasket means and said gasket means being tightseated atop the respective ledges when closed, and fastening means for securing said cover in a closed position, the lower interior portion of the last-named end wall of saidv auxiliary compartment being offset inwardly and fashioned into and outwardly opening unobstructed recess, and a valved spigot confined and pocketed for accessible use and operation within the confines of said recess and having an intake in communication with a lower liquid discharge portion of said auxiliary compartment whereby said spigot is not ordinarily subjected to casual damage.

2. The structure defined in and according to claim 1 and wherein said lid is spaced downwardly from an adjacent underneath surface of said cover, said lid being provided at the end opposite said hinged end with an upstanding rigid knob, said knob being firmly engaged by an underneath side of said cover when the cover is closed whereby the cover, through the medium of the knob, serves to press the lid to a tight-closed substantially sealed position atop said ledges and also atop coacting upper edges of said auxiliary compartment.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 333,123 12/1885 Goldsmith 62-457 450,527 4/1891 Poyner =62-457 X 882,824 3/1908 Hall 62457 2,954,682 10/1960 Klemme 62459 X 3,069,869 12/1962 Mueller 62-457 X ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner. 

